The hidden agenda of the gun rights lobby

Commentator Peter Morici says it is impossible to prevent further gun atrocities through laws limiting firearms ("The false security of gun control measures," April 16). But I suspect he is hiding his real agenda.

Mr. Morici is a conservative eager to defeat gun control laws that, he fears, might reduce their availability. That's proof in itself that laws banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines and those requiring universal background checks will have exactly the effect intended: They will make it harder for people to obtain such weapons in order to wreak havoc on society.

Mr. Morici says rural residents need military-style weapons to repel nighttime intruders, which happens so rarely that the argument has proven to be nonsense.

Guns are far more likely to be used to commit suicide by their legal owners, to accidentally or intentionally shoot family members or acquaintances or be stolen by burglars than for home defense.

Thankfully, probably the most likely use for a gun is nothing. A gun purchased for defense just sits unused for years.

I urge Mr. Morici to be more honest and just say he opposes any kind of gun control for any reason, no matter how many thousands of people die in shootings every year.